Early Childhood Nature Resources

Information

This group is a place for all of us who love nature and young children to share resources we have found to be helpful and inspiring. Please post stories, programs, workshop materials, handouts for parents, books, links, and photos.

Words of Wisdom

Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives. Thomas Berry, Dream of the Earth

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in. Rachel Carson, A Sense of Wonder

Discussion Forum

We are opening a forest school in Port Macquarie, NSW and we're very interested and keen on having some training. It seems like Claire will only be back to Australia in September but is anyone else…Continue

We are just about to start our second year of our Little Sprouts nature based early learning center and I just wondered if any of you guys are doing this and if you have any BIG ideas for us to…Continue

As many of you know, the green schoolyard movement is growing rapidly and flourishing around the world. Schools near and far are reimagining their grounds, replacing their extensive paved surfaces…Continue

Comment Wall

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Since we launched in March 2015 we have sold over 80 "Children at Nature Play" signs - to nature centers, nature-based preschools, wildlife refuges, children & nature advocates, etc. Learn more about the sign that sparks a conversation about connecting children to nature - and order one! - at natureplaysign.com.

Passionate about connecting kids to nature? Please share my Tee Spring t-shirt campaign to help raise awareness about the importance of children playing in nature. If interested in ordering a t-shirt or sharing the link on your Facebook page, here's the link:http://teespring.com/natureplaysign

http://youtu.be/YGt5WtryQX0 This is one of the cutest fall stories I have ever read! The beautiful watercolor illustrations are wonderful too! Enjoy this preview and then go look for it at your local library... or on Amazon (Look for the link in the video description.)

Colleagues, a request that requires a quick response. C&NN is submitting a grant proposal for adding nature activities to child care programs to address childhood obesity in kids with ages five and under. Do any of you have similar programs for kids in this age range that have produced results that we can reference in the grant proposal? Please respond on this site or to me personally at john.thielbahr003@gmail.com. Many thanks. jt

I love the idea Connecting Children to Nature through literature...there are so many incredible books out there that need to be shared...it saddens me to go into classrooms and see TV themed books on the shelves...there is a wealth of beauty and knowledge just waiting to be shared with our young children!

If you are able to do it outside you might like "magic windows"...you can use old wire hangers bent into square shapes or inexpensive simple balsa wood frames(found at your local A&C stores)...kids use these to view a small window of the world in the grass of dirt...looking through and describing what they see. You can also make available natural colored pencils and crayons, clip boards(mini sized found at Staples) with paper and let the kids draw what they see in a designated natural area. Natural sculpture and collage is fun too! I love the idea and hope that maybe I can integrate it into some of my work shops. Good Luck!

Jan, so glad that Emily is moving forward with Book Trails. I didn't hear from her after I sent my email, but please keep her informed about how valuable this movement is, and ask her to keep us informed on Book Trails. All the best, jt